Philip Pfukwa

Service / Career

No information could be found on when he joined CoH, or his career path there.

Events

A number of boreholes in Glen View 7 were to be decommissioned as they are pumping contaminated water that is not fit for human consumption. Health Director Prosper Chonzi and Philip Pfukwa confirmed in January 2013.

However residents were complaining as they were aware of the risks, but CoH provided them with no alternative source of water. They also needed the water for other reasons than drinking. CoH must find other alternatives before condemning the boreholes. ^[1]

As part of the CoH downsizing exercise in March 2014, Philip Pfukwa was retrenched, along with city treasurer Misheck Mubvumbi, Cosmas Zvikaramba business development manager, housing and community services Justine Chivavaya, urban planning services Psychology Chivanga, director amenities Dombo Chibanda and Stewart Mungofa.

The city’s 18 directors were paid over US$500 000 in salaries monthly. Four more directors will be retrenched in an exercise that is expected to see ten directors share US$3 million as part of their retrenchment package. ^[2]

The 2014 forced retirement of six CoH employees has been challenged in court, with Justice Rita Makarau sitting with Ben Hlatshwayo and Bharat Patel setting aside the retirements. Others who may now claim wrongful dismissal and payments include former business development manager Cosmas Zvikaramba, housing and community services manager Justine Chivavaya, Urban planning services manager Psychology Chiwanga, Stanley Mungofa (health) and director amenities Dombo Chibanda. ^[3]

Flash flooding in Harare, after sudden heavy rains in November 2014, were caused by litter, leading to a buildup in storm sewers, blocking them, Philip Pfukwa said, contributing to a CoH press statement. ^[4]

In November 2015, Director of Works Phillip Pfukwa reported to Harare City Council that potholes were not being repaired due to lack of resources. ZINARA (Zimbabwe National Road Administration) had started giving some funds, however CoH was still engaging with them. Litter was another serious problem. ^[5]

In October 2016, Philip Pfukwa, as a CoH official, was a respondent in a successful court case against him, by Cosmos Trust, over the Monavale Vlei. A permit to erect one hundred and twenty one cluster houses had unlawfully been given to Sharadkumar Patel as an environmental Impact Assessment Report had not been carried out beforehand, as required in Section 97(5) of the Environment Management Act, number 13 of 2002. ^[6]

In November 2016, it was alleged that over $1 million had been taken from the CoH in dubious allowances and perks, shown by a ministry of Local Government audit.

“In an unorthodox way, the July 2015 pay sheet reflected that council paid gross earnings to former town clerk Mr T Mahachi and six other top executive managers a total of $1 497 040 instead of paying less than $63 000.” Others named were Josephine Ncube, Cainos Chimombe, Prosper Chonzi, Christopher Zvobgo, Philip Pfukwa and Tendai Kwenda. ^[7]

Also in November 2016, the Harare Residents Trust further pushed for directors to be criticised for their lack of attention to service delivery. They listed Philip-Pfukwa, Tendai Kwenda, Josephine Ncube, Cainos Chingombe, and Hosea Chisango.

"Interviews we have had with different employees of the council have revealed that the contracts signed by the senior managers were signed and approved by Councillors, even before former Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi was forced out of council," said the trust. "So the question of the huge allowances and salaries that have been received by the senior managers were not a secret to the Councillors. They only kept quiet because the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing had not undertaken this audit. If it were in their power, the audit findings would have been kept in confidence. They were attending workshops and other programmes where they were being paid handsomely for their involvement in processing council deals. Firstly, City Parking, and the rest of Harare Sunshine Holdings have to be fully unveiled for the public so that nothing secretive continues to happen." ^[8]

In December 2016, Philip Pfukwa, along with Prosper Chonzi and Tawanda Kwenda, was suspended on allegations of corruption. ^[9]

Central government has made $11 million available to CoH to rehabilitate 600km of roads in Harare, under the Emergency Road Fund. Harare’s 7 000km road network had not had meaningful routine maintenance over the last 15 years. In January 2017, Government declared the country’s roads a state of disaster following damage by incessant rains.

Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Joram Gumbo said the first tranche was disbursed through the Ministry of Local Government and it disburses to local authorities. For the City of Harare funds in terms of roads maintenance were sent directly to the CoH. Philip Pfukwa said residential suburbs were prioritising as damage there was most severe. ^[10]

In a March 2017 report from Philip Pfukwa to the Environment Management sub-Committee, he outlined the CoH plans to move from asphalt to concrete roads and that La Farge Cement and PPC pledged to second engineers and to offer technical expertise. The report argues cement roads are durable. The first documented concrete road was made in Ohio, United States of America, in 1891 and one hundred years later sections of the road were still in use.Asphalt has not been locally produced since the decommissioning of coke ovens at Hwange Colliery Company.

Included in the report was the information - trial sections along the Mvuma-Gweru road, were done in concrete in 1985 and they are still structurally sound with minimum maintenance on expansion joint. In Harare, a concrete pavement was laid, servicing Long Cheng Plaza. Before concrete was laid, the site was problematic requiring continuous repairs and maintenance, but it is now virtually maintenance free. Concrete pavements have a longer life expectance and have minimal maintenance requirements. Concrete pavements have a higher initial cost but have a long life up to 40 years, whereas asphalt pavements are designed for a maximum 20 years. A vehicle on a concrete pavement consumes 15 to 20 percent less fuel than when on asphalt pavements. Concrete pavements do not get deflected under the wheels of loaded vehicles unlike asphalt roads. A pilot project was for Arcturus Road. ^[11]